ATF: Prowler - Satellite connection won't work

Cancun21205

Member
Hi,

I just purchased a 2012 Heartland Prowler 27P BHS. I can't get a satellite signal through the back "plugs". I'll try to explain.

First, I pointed the satellite dish at the campground and ran a wire directly to my satellite receiver (not using any internal wiring on the trailer) and got signal, great! So now I wanted to make the wires tidy and run them the proper way so I plugged the wire from the satellite dish into the plug on the back of the trailer that says "Satellite" (there's also one that says "cable"). Then I plugged the small cable wire from the "satellite" plug inside (on wall plate) to my receiver. And now, no signal. I've tried every combination (plugging into satellite, plugging into cable) and nothing works.

Please tell me what the problem can be and let possibly include a diagram of where the wire runs throughout the trailer.

I look forward to an informed response!

Phil
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Hi Phil and welcome to the forum. Lots of good information here.
I am not familiar with the wiring on the Prowler, but there is one thing that has been a problem in the past.
I would take every wall plate off and check the coax carefully. Look closely at the connectors. Be sure that there are no shielding wires touching the center wire. Also make sure the crimps are good and secure.

Peace
Dave
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
As Cookie mentioned, there have been a number of reports of bad connections on coax throughout the entire Heartland product line. Once you determine all the connections are good, I used a long coax and a meter to check continuity to verify where outside hook-ups matched the inside.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Other problems can be use of RG-58 instead of RG-6 coax inside the trailer (RG-58 - standard TV coax - tends to attenuate the ultrahigh satellite signals); use of splitters in the trailer wiring not rated for the ultrahigh satellite signals. Also, any device in the coax wiring that blocks DC will not allow the power from the receiver to get to the dish LMB's.

Jim B. has posted coax wiring diagrams fro most all Heartland models on the Forum "Tools" tab / "Manuals" / "Electronics" / "Coax"

Some internal cables may check OK with basic meters/test lights and still not work, due to compression of the coax at places like staples, which compromises the high frequency AC bandwith needed for satellite signals. Only high-end frequency analysis test equipment can detect this.

Good luck!!!
 

Silverado23

Iowa Chapter Leaders
You may need to use a wire tracer and make sure that the satellite input is indeed correctly routed to apporpriate outputs. I've had the cable and antenna inputs swapped on the amplifier and bad connectors degrade the signal too.


Here is the link to one lowes sells.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_166440-1781-...3127907&rpp=16

Wire trace discussion.
//heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/32612-Key-Largo?highlight=wire+trace


Here is the current version of one I have used.
http://www.gardnerbender.com
http://www.gardnerbender.com/pdf/products/Testers.pdf
P. 138 (page 8 of 14)

//heartlandowners.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=20524&d=1343530144&thumb=1
 
Top